The Merry and Gay Cabaret – 20 December 2024

Queer Chaos Theatre Co.’s inaugural event, The Merry and Gay Cabaret, was an absolute delight. Performers who identify within the queer community performed a diverse variety of musical selections, that were a wonderful combination of heartfelt, funny, celebratory, and impactful. The cabaret really embodied Queer Chaos’s stated mission of creating a home for queer artists to express their unique experiences in an environment where it is safe to be bold. 

The element I enjoyed most of all was how each performer was safe to push the envelope of who society expects them to be. You can have top surgery and wear a skirt. You can be a writer who embraces an opportunity to sing. You can produce and perform. You can be a teacher and poke fun at people. You can sing while playing an instrument. You can be a drag king and cry onstage. You can be a drag queen and give a fun, high energy performance without being in drag. You can sing a Chanukkah song and a Christmas song without being a contradiction. Essentially, Queer Chaos Theatre Co. created a space where being yourself can be multifaceted, nuanced, and complex— and, above all, celebrated.

I was very impressed with musical director and pianist Farrah Rotman, whose fully developed accompaniment embellished and enhanced every performance. Watching her fingers fly over the keys was mesmerizing in and of itself. Some of the performances that stood out to me included The Gender Gnomes’ unique brand of comedic humor, Hayley St. James’s highly contrasting musical choices, Barry Gold’s tongue in cheek theater humor, Esme Mitchell’s ability to sing and play the violin at the same time, and Spencer Joshua Vigil’s incredibly heartfelt versions of “Winter Song” and “Why”. The full cast singalong “Seasons of Love” ended on a high note and left everybody with a smile.

Overall, I was impressed with the caliber and commitment of the performances and the professionalism with which all involved parties handled rolling with the punches. Everybody was having a good time, and embraced chaos and contradiction as essential parts of living a queer reality. I am excited to see more from Queer Chaos Theatre Co.! Don’t fret if you missed The Merry and Gay Cabaret— there are great things ahead for this incredible team.

I attended this performance on a press pass through special arrangement with Queer Chaos Theatre Co.